


How Many Miles To Babylon

by Ayulsa (execharmonious)



Category: Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis
Genre: BDSM, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-29
Updated: 2010-05-29
Packaged: 2017-10-09 19:09:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/90590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/execharmonious/pseuds/Ayulsa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He did say he'd get to work on that collar, but it's tough when they can't leave the room. For the RP at watchoverall.livejournal.com.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How Many Miles To Babylon

"--s-so, Roxis-sama...."

Roxis glanced over at the boy-- no, his Mana; was he even a boy at all? For a moment, he found himself lost in wonderings of whether Vayne truly counted, abstract speculations about the gender of magical entities.... But then his eyes alighted on Vayne's expression, a quite curious mixture of hopeful and awkward and more than a little flushed; and he felt his own cheeks colour, his body responding to those gentle features with a sharp sudden thrill, and decided the academics of the matter were secondary to the fact that Vayne was all the boy he wanted, or needed.

"Hm? What is it?" he asked. He noted to himself that his own tones had gentled since he'd started spending time around Vayne, and particularly since they'd pacted. Maybe the Mana's nature was having an effect on him.

"Well, ah...." Oh, this _had_ to be good. Vayne was clearly having difficulty getting this one out. The small shiver of pleasure he took in that set a raucous laugh echoing in the back of his head; _ohoho, yes, and maybe I am having an effect on you, too._ He winced at that one, choosing to ignore his rowdier Mana as he waited for Vayne's words. "...I was wondering, do you think we'd... get to go down the Athanor any time soon...?" He left that last word hanging in the air, the unspoken sentence continuing on in both their minds. The corner of Roxis' mouth curled up, like the flicking tip of a cat's tail.

"Mm.... The _Athanor_, you say. Now what _possible_ reason could we have to go _there._" As a flourish, he punctuated with a raised eyebrow. "Hmm?" He knew he couldn't hide from Vayne that he was perfectly clued into his intent, but that didn't mean he couldn't draw it out.

Predictably, Vayne lowered his eyes, an even deeper blush crossing his already warm features. _Oh, you're so easy to play. And so cute when I do it._ That got another laugh of approval from the Mana of Light. "W-well, you know... before, you said...." Those eyes flashed up briefly, hopefully, waiting for Roxis' move, but only meeting with all the fake innocence Roxis could pour into his expression. Resignation came over his face as he realised he wasn't going to get anywhere with this. _Victory,_ Roxis and the Mana crowed as one.

_\--I'm becoming_ too _like you._  
_\--Hoho, me? I'm sweetness and light, my dear, you know that...._

"--you said you'd, you know, synthesise stuff. For us. Wh-when we're together. I... I guess I was just curious to see what that might be."

Roxis let the smile of satisfaction settle in across his features. Simply teasing his beloved Vayne really did feel good, especially since he knew he wasn't really doing any harm. Interesting, to think back on how different his attitude about that would have been only a week or so ago.

"Hmmm.... Well, you know, I guess we could see about that, couldn't we." He stood up from the desk at which he'd been penning his latest essay (or at least trying to take notes-- his mind was still a little hazy), glancing at the world beyond the curtains. "It's well past dark-- not too many students working on their syntheses now, at least not of our lazy lot. What say we go... take a look and see if it's free?"

Vayne nodded, eager adoration effusing from that simple motion. _So cute._ But just as quickly, his face fell. "Sensei...."

Roxis pushed his glasses up onto his nose, a gesture of contemplation. "Hmm. Yes.... The bond hasn't yet been tested. Between any of us."

Vayne made a face like he was going to cry all of a sudden, and Roxis felt himself awash in those emotions. The fear... the agony, the wrenching horror they'd all been through when Vayne had left.... He knew Vayne feared that, even irrationally, and if anything he feared it even more. To feel even a flicker of that again... it would bring it all back. He'd felt like he'd die. Isolde had wanted to. To touch that again would just rip them apart, at all those unhealed wounds.

"Vayne-sama." The light from the lamp was suddenly blocked as the room's tallest presence stood up. "Ssh. Don't. You know it's going to be okay, right?"

Roxis felt a shudder of shock, and he knew Vayne felt it too. Since he'd realised the seriousness of going out through that door, he'd been sure Isolde would be unwilling to test the link just yet. _He_ would have been. Yet she seemed confident about it, at least somewhat. Her voice was quiet, low, and its most tremulous notes sought out Vayne's strength, twining with his for perfect reassurance; but she had led with her strength, and she seemed to believe. An interesting dance. He envied her, for having the courage to carry it.

"I... I know," said Vayne, and his voice sounded much less certain, even though he knew the Mana knew better than she did what was so. _Poor dear thing, he's just so afraid of hurting us. More afraid, I'm sure, than of his own pain._ Whatever teasing emotions he'd previously held towards Vayne this evening, he found them rapidly evaporating, replaced by only love. "Just... sensei, are you sure you're ready...."

"It's not going to hurt." Those same, slightly guarded tones, and Roxis saw the fear cross her face. But she did not falter. "I can feel with my own heart that the bond between us is sure. Over this past couple of days, we've all felt differently... we've noted that it doesn't feel the same when we're a short way apart. If everything Jessica said is correct, then we shouldn't feel any different."

"_If_ what Jess said is correct, yes," Roxis added. It wasn't that he wanted to make her feel less at ease. He just couldn't help responding with the objections his mind saw. "Do we even know that those books were for certain accurate? What if--"

"And we felt all that pain," she said, "for a myth, for a pipe-dream, for something that benefitted us not one bit?" A half-smirk flickered on her face, rueful and sad, and he could tell what she was thinking, through the indirect link. _You sound like I did, not so long ago. So scared of what might be that you'll say anything but what is, no matter how absurd._ Cringing inwardly, he pulled away from the thought. It was true, but he didn't have to hear it.

"Vayne-sama would have known," Isolde continued. "He wouldn't have done anything so drastic, that would have put us through so much pain, if it had had even a chance of failure. Am I not right?"

Vayne nodded his head, with that cute little sound that was halfway between acknowledgement and devotion.

"Then it should be fine." Still she was not entirely sure. But she was determined, if nothing else. "If it hurts... even a little... you'll come back." It was a statement, not a question; but neither was it a demand. It was simply what she knew; and Vayne nodded, again, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. _Of course it was. You'd do it for me too._

He wondered if she was going to have to clap to send him off again, but this time, Vayne took some initiative, slipping his hand into Roxis' and pressing it close. Isolde stood her ground on the far side of the room, watching them, her dark eyes shadowed by the light at her back so that she resembled some grand statue, stoic and distant. Awkwardly, the two of them inched towards the door, Vayne examining his heart with every step for the faintest sign of pull.

When they'd made it all the way to the door, which seemed to take so very much longer than it ought to have-- even Isolde's room was not _that_ large-- Roxis reached out to turn the handle. Even though it wasn't him who would feel the brunt of the pull if this went wrong, his fingers still faltered on their way, as if it might be heated to forge temperatures. If this hurt Vayne, even if he did not feel it through the bond, he would rue it himself in his mind.

The door swung open, to a hallway Roxis hadn't seen in several days. Even though candle-sconces were all that lit the area, not much brighter than Isolde's own lamp, it felt like emerging into a new dawn.

Nerves steeled, almost walking backwards as their eyes refused to leave Isolde, they took a step.

Nothing.

And another... and another.

Nothing. They felt as close as they ever had.

A few more steps....

"I think... I think it's okay," said Vayne, and all the relief that spilled out from his voice made Roxis shiver from its passion. _Oh, thank the gods. We never have to go through that again._ I _never have to go through that again._

Not for lack but from simple fondness, Isolde walked over to the entrance to see them off. "Well, Vayne-sama, it looks like this experiment was truly a success. Remind me to tell Jessica when I next see her... to thank her, for suggesting this to us. We couldn't have done it without her."

Another subservient nod, and Roxis thought if he did that one more time he'd have to drag him to the Athanor right there and then....

Oh. Right. That _was_ where they were going.

Together. Alone.

"We'll... see you later, sensei."

The chuckle from the Mana of Light was deafening.


End file.
